"Apologize, Yoo Hae-jin": Protesters Gather Outside His Home... Agency Warns of "Threats to Personal Safety" and Tough Response

[Financial News]  Amid ongoing protests by conservative groups outside lead actor Yoo Hae-jin's home over allegations of historical distortion surrounding the film 'Assassin(s),' Yoo Hae-jin's side has announced a tough response.

On the 5th, VAST ENTERTAINMENT, Yoo Hae-jin's agency, said on its official website, "We recently confirmed that defamatory remarks and false information about our actor Yoo Hae-jin have been indiscriminately circulated and spread through online communities and social media."
The agency continued, "We regard extremely seriously any and all acts related to our actor, including the creation and dissemination of false information, malicious personal attacks and insults, as well as violations of the actor's privacy, threats to his personal safety, and damage to his reputation. We are continuously collecting related posts and materials and plan to take all possible measures to protect our actor's rights and safety from these illegal acts," it warned.
It further emphasized, "We will continue to monitor acts that infringe upon our actor's rights and safety, and we will take the necessary action on any issues that are confirmed."

The Yoo Hae-jin-led film 'Assassin(s),' based on the 1974 incident in which Yuk Young-soo, the late wife of President Park Chung Hee, was shot and killed as Korean resident of Japan Mun Se-gwang attempted to assassinate President Park Chung Hee, came under fire from political circles and others after its release. Critics said the film's characters and dramatic settings suggested possible involvement by power-wielding government agencies at the time, sparking controversy over allegations that it distorted actual history.
The production team of 'Assassin(s)' explained, "The film does not identify any particular person as being behind the incident anywhere, nor does it present the hypotheses and dramatic settings in the film as historical fact. It was not made to establish a new, specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts."
However, as the controversy continues, it is also affecting the activities of the cast members.
Comments protesting the fast-food brand and securities firm's YouTube advertising videos in which Yoo Hae-jin appeared as a model continued to pour in, prompting the comment sections to be disabled. Events related to the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) and scheduled promotional stage greetings for the film's release were also canceled one after another.


On Oct. 4, Sinjayu Yeondae and Bellado held a rally outside Yoo Hae-jin's home to condemn the production company and actor of 'Assassin(s).' About 50 people attended, according to an unofficial police estimate.
Sinjayu Yeondae called for the film's screening to be halted and argued that the production team and actors should issue a public apology to the nation and promise measures to prevent a recurrence. Bellado demanded that Yoo Hae-jin also appear in so-called 'right-wing films.' The groups announced that they would continue visiting the headquarters of companies for which Yoo Hae-jin serves as an advertising model and calling for the contracts to be terminated.
[email protected] Kim Soo-yeon Reporter